The Outsiders Staying Gold
by SodapopCurtisLvr
Summary: This is Ponyboy's POV after the book The Outsiders.
1. Chapter 1

I didn't know how I could possibly start going back to school.

After everything that had happened. I thought I would traumatize for ever.

Two of my best friends were gone.

Such a tragic death. I didn't know what to expect from all the kids at school.

Everyone was asking me how I was feeling and if I missed Johnny and Dallas.

I did. I could feel myself getting colder and colder everyday. Harder and meaner.

I wanted to get back at those Socs. They have made my life a living hell.

I walked into my English class. I handed my essay, well actually I should say very long story into my teacher.

I could see the look on his face. It said "Wow Ponyboy I did not expect you to write this much."

I grinned to myself. I sat down in the back and just listened to my teacher talk. Class soon ended. My teacher pulled me over to his desk.

"Ponyboy, I am very happy with this work that you have turned in. I will read it to night and grade it tomorrow."

"Thank you," I said as I walked out the door.

I was hoping for the rest of the day that school would end. Many times during that day I just wanted to sob.

I couldn't, not in front of everyone. Greasers don't cry.

Even thought I saw Dally cry, someone who I thought forgot to cry at and early age. I guessed that wasn't the case.  
"Come on Johnny, come on don't die on me now." The words haunted me.

I shook them off, and went on the rest of the school day.


	2. Chapter 2

Finally school ended. Two-bit Matthews, one of my best buddies, picked me up after school. In the car he kept on cracking smart ass jokes.

I wanted to laugh. Something in my gut kept me from laughing. Finally we reached my house. I walked in. Darry was cleaning the stove top in the kitchen.

"Well this one o're here was a butt load of laughs in the car," Two-bit said as he pointed his thumb toward me.

I wasn't in the mood for jokes. I went into my room. Sodapop was on the bed lying flat on his stomach looking at a piece of paper.

"Hey Sodapop," I said to him as I flopped down next to him.

"Hey," he said as he put the paper into a book and dropped it with a bang on the floor. I was about to ask what the paper was when Sodapop said, "Hey is Two-bit here?" I replied.

"Yea he's out in the living room." Sodapop jumped up and ran out to see Two-bit.

"Hey Sodapop, I got some news for ya." Two-bit said with a devilish look on his face.

"Well go ahead, spill."

"Some chick was looking for you at the DX today. Yeah I kinda took over your job while you were here."

"Oh jeez thanks Two-bit. I hope you didn't ruin my rep while you were workin'."

"Actually," Two-bit said as he had a little ego moment, "I think I touched it up a bit."

"Sure ya did." Soda and Two-bit laughed a little. I could tell Sodapop was interest in the person who was looking for him, but I could see he still wasn't over Sandy.

She did the worst thing anyone could ever do. I used to like her actually; she was always nice to me.

Now I hated her. I knew Sodapop used to love her, but I knew every day, that was changing. He didn't love her anymore, after what she did.

While I was off in this little day dream Sodapop spoke up and said, "So who was lookin' for me?"

Two-bit smiled roguishly, "That cute tall blonde chick, umm she was over at the DX talking to Steve, asking where you was." Sodapop smiled, but soon it turned into a frown.

"Um, oh yeah, she was that girl that was in our elementary, Julia I think."

"Julia, hmm JULIA! Yeah she was over at the DX talking to me a couple days ago."

I was happy to see Sodapop happy again; I hadn't seen him like this in a while. In fact I haven't even been this happy.


	3. Chapter 3

"Stay Gold Ponyboy, Stay Gold."

The words came back to me. I glanced off into space.

I drew in a deep breath. I sat down at the table. Sodapop put a plate in front of me as I continued to stare at the wall.

"Pony you okay?"

"What? Oh yeah I'm okay." Those last words of Johnny's, I didn't quite know what he meant by them.

I think he was referencing back to that poem I told him up in Windrexville.

He wanted me to stay youthful and to forget the harsh realities of our lives. He wanted me to be gold, or innocent.

The words came back to me.

"Fighting ain't no good."

Johnny knew I was better, better than to fight.

He wanted me to hold onto the golden qualities that set me apart from my companions.

I'm not saying that i'm better than anyone in the gang, it's just Johnny knew better. While Johnny and I were in that church, I felt like our friendship blossomed.

It solidified the idyllic interlude of the church. We escaped the world, from adults and the Socs.

I felt as reckless as Sodapop while in that church. That poem, how I longed to remember.

I tried to forget it. Every time I thought about it, I thought about Johnny.

But that poem was gold itself. This idyll the church had tinged with sadness.

Just as the gold in the poem vanishes, the idyll must end, and the church burned to the ground. It vanished.

But then again "Nothing Gold Can Stay." I pondered that thought. Finally Sodapop shook me out of my daydream.

"Come on Ponyboy, eat your chicken." I grinned and ate. Boy was Sodapop funny.

I always looked up to him. I did love him more than Mom and Dad.

He always wanted to have fun. But was there ever a time to quit having fun? No, Johnny told me to Stay Gold.


	4. Chapter 4

Soda and I ended up with the dishes while Darry ironed some clothes. We could hear Darry in the other room. Suddenly he let out a bug yelp.

"Damn it! Burned myself."

Sodapop and I just went back to cleaning.  
Soda spoke up, "Ponyboy, do you ever think that you could have saved Johnny?"

I blinked a few times. Then I thought about it. It's like when Johnny and I saved those little kids.

I mean we saved their lives, why wasn't Johnny saved?

"No," I said as I turned back and cleaned. I had never done that before. When something was bothering me I always told Sodapop. But this was different

"Soda, were you and Dallas buddies?" I asked just to be asking something.

"Of course, a gang is a gang, were all buddies," he said as he punched my in the shoulder.

Suddenly I remembered Two-bit was at our house. I went into the living room. There he was stretched out drinking a beer watching TV.

I looked at him and shook my head. He followed me into the kitchen and asked if we had any chocolate cake.

"Sorry we ate it all this morning'," Sodapop replied. "Jeez you guys are piggish," Two-bit said in a childish voice.

"Yeah well you ate most of it," Sodapop chuckled.  
The phone started ringing, "Hey Two-bit could you get that?" Sodapop asked.

"Fine!" Two-bit said in a little kid voice that sounded like he was having a tempure tantrum in the mall.  
"Hello? Yeah? I'm sorry he can't come to the phone right now he's cleaning like a good little boy. Yes sir, I'll tell him, right, uhuh, okay hm-bye."  
"Who was that Two-bit?" I asked.  
"Oh that was just Steve, he said there's a party going on down by his house. He wanted to know if you wanted to go Soda." Two-bit said.

"Oh and he invited me too, also Julia is going to be there."  
Sodapop seemed to jump for joy.  
"Alright, when does it start?" He asked.  
"Well its going on right now bud," Two-bit replied.  
"Well then let's go!"  
They started walking toward the door.  
"Hey wait up you guys can I come?" I asked.  
"Sorry Ponyboy but you know how these parties go, they could get outta hand."  
They left me sitting on the couch. I gained enough confidence to stand up and say to myself, "I'm going to that party."


End file.
